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These late summer and early autumn days are some of the best that Central Illinois has to offer.  The sweltering heat of summer is mostly gone and winter is still comfortably far in the future.  But we all know that this is just a brief moment in time.  The icy winds and bitter cold will

A New Experience: Buying a Car Online Buying a car used to require a trip to the dealership. Haggling was a hallmark of the experience, and you could count on going back and forth with a salesperson about things like pricing and interest rates.  If you’ve watched TV lately you have probably noticed several companies

Every small business owner wants to see their business grow.  As savvy business owners know, business growth is more than a goal.  In reality it is a necessity.  Trying to simply maintain a business is an activity that is doomed to fail.  If a business is not growing, it is effectively dying – though it

We are only a little more than halfway through 2020, but what a year it has been! Nobody planned for the events we’ve experienced this year.  Moreover, there are few people willing to predict what lies ahead. However, even in the uncertainty of the times, many of the tried and true principles of financial stability

Many businesses, including seasonal businesses that experience busy and slow times of the year and businesses with a lengthy manufacturing process, will at some point consider inventory financing. For example, a business that produces holiday gifts could use this type of financing to purchase more items in order to prepare for the expected additional demands

“You have to spend money to make money.” This familiar quote illustrates the obvious – that it takes money to run a business.  It also demonstrates the conundrum that confronts many business owners.  Sometimes the money needed to purchase equipment or supplies, rent space, or pay employees is just not there.  Yet the expenses must be

By Steve Wedig As technology has advanced over the past decade or two, the way people bank has changed dramatically. One notable way that banking has changed is an increased ability for customers to perform basic banking tasks without ever visiting the bank in person. With this change, it makes it possible for customers to

By Michael Breisch While the basic purpose of farming remains the same from time immemorial, the day-to-day operations have undergone huge changes over the last century. Today’s ag operation looks vastly different than that of our grandparents’ generation. Technology and culture continue to bring changes to the farming industry. We will look at a few

We are certainly living through unprecedented times in this country. Every day the news is filled with updates on the health of our nation both physically and economically. Never having experienced anything like this before, we are filled with questions. How long will this lock-down continue? Will it be safe for everyone to be out

By Andrea Eldert, NMLS #1094715 Mortgage rates, which had been low, have now dropped to even lower rates. Recent world events have pushed rates near historically low levels. With rates this low, many homeowners are asking themselves if now is the right time to refinance their mortgage. Here are some things to think through as you